One East Kentucky uses ResearchFDI to Generate Leads

One East Kentucky Works With ResearchFDI to Generate Business Attraction Leads

Business attraction is one of the top goals of One East Kentucky, as new business in the region creates employment opportunities and fosters a diverse economy. ResearchFDI, an investment attraction firm, streamlines the business recruitment process through lead generation. This partner allows Colby Kirk, President and CEO of One East Kentucky, to have meaningful discussions with corporations on the incentives and location advantages of moving to the region. 
 
“We work with economic development organizations worldwide,” says Bruce Takefman, President and CEO of ResearchFDI. “When there is credibility in everything you do, companies start to respect you. When we show up, they know we offer a high-value service.”

ResearchFDI has been a One East Kentucky partner since its founding in 2015. Learn more about this organization and the impact it has had. 

ResearchFDI Identifies High-Potential Targets 

Kirk travels to trade shows throughout the year to recruit companies to Eastern Kentucky. He chooses each trade show based on One East Kentucky’s industry development goals. This year, his focus is on aerospace, advanced manufacturing, and wood product development. At any given trade show, there could be more than 5,000 companies and vendors in attendance, and it’s nearly impossible to identify which industry leaders to talk to. This is where ResearchFDI comes in.  

ResearchFDI will identify a handful of leads and set up meetings for Kirk. These leads might include new executives settling into their roles, companies in other states affected by new legislation, and businesses with expansion goals. Kirk can focus his efforts on pitching the Eastern Kentucky region instead of trying to identify which companies to contact.

“We help Colby meet companies based in the United States, Canada, and all over the world,” says Takefman. “One East Kentucky has been a great partner, and we’re very supportive of its growth efforts. It’s been exciting watching Colby grow in his leadership role.”  

ResearchFDI has secured more than 250 meetings between One East Kentucky and active prospects throughout its partnership. One of these meetings was with Dajcor Aluminium, which eventually expanded to Eastern Kentucky. This metals manufacturer, which started in 2020, has created 100 jobs and generated more than $19 million in capital investment. 

Eastern Kentucky Has a Unique Value Proposition

Not only does Takefman speak highly of Kirk, but he is impressed by Eastern Kentucky as a whole. He says the region is ideal for an industrial manufacturing base and has been ahead of the curve regarding technical education and workforce development.

“There are so many hardworking people in Eastern Kentucky,” says Takefman. “The people have a really good mindset in terms of work, and there’s a lot of support from the local community when new investment arrives.”

Takefman also says Eastern Kentucky is in an ideal location in the United States. Many companies can access all of their customers within a single day’s drive. This makes setting up the supply chain easy and puts companies right where they need to be. 

ResearchFDI Continues to Innovate

ResearchFDI has been in business since 2010 and has grown into a multinational firm. Its team of 50 employees works with more than 700 economic development organizations worldwide to support their business attraction efforts. As technology evolves, ResearchFDI gets better at what it does. For years, ResearchFDI systems have incorporated artificial intelligence to sort through leads and identify high-potential companies to meet with.  

“Tasks that used to take us hundreds of hours are completed within a few seconds thanks to AI,” says Takefman. “We’ve been using this technology for nearly a decade now.”

ResearchFDI also offers training services and online certification to support professionals who want to grow their experience in economic development and investment attraction. Finally, it provides consulting services to teams that need them. 

The Future is Bright in Eastern Kentucky

One East Kentucky is successful because of partners like ResearchFDI. This company allows Kirk and his team to work smarter and allocate resources more efficiently. Eastern Kentucky is already your low-risk choice for business expansion. Now it can be known as your best. Contact us today and learn what sets our region apart. Work with an organized, passionate group of economic development professionals who can make your move easy.